Jakarta, 18 September 2024: The ERIA School of Government had the honour of hosting the launch of Standing Firm for Indonesia’s Democracy: An Oral History of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at its office in Jakarta on 18 September 2024. This marks the release of the first-ever oral history book about Yudhoyono, offering an in-depth exploration of the leadership journey of Indonesia’s sixth president.

As an ‘oral history,’ the book features 30 hours of interviews between Yudhoyono – widely known as ‘SBY’ – and a team of historians, providing readers with a rare opportunity to hear his perspectives in his own words.

Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean of the ERIA School of Government and one of the book’s editors, reflected on the creation process, which involved interviews conducted between 2016 and 2023.

‘Throughout the process, President SBY generously shared countless hours for the interviews, despite the challenging times of COVID and the loss of his wife,’ Aizawa said. ‘He shared his thoughts, his views, his experiences, and the reasons behind his critical decisions, so that the next generation could learn from them.’

The book’s conversations span Yudhoyono’s career, from his military service in the 1990s to his reflections on Indonesia’s future. Yudhoyono, who served as president for two terms (2004–2014), was pivotal in stabilising Indonesia’s democracy and economy. As the first directly elected president, he drew on his experiences as a minister under Presidents Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri. The book provides readers with insights into his governance style, leadership approach, key decisions, and his long-term vision for Indonesia.

Prof. Takashi Shiraishi, a renowned historian and the book’s lead editor, noted that the interviews reveal which decisions Yudhoyono carefully deliberated on and the individuals he consulted during the decision-making process. Having closely followed Indonesian politics since the 1970s, Shiraishi has observed many of Indonesia's key government and military figures, including Yudhoyono. He praised Yudhoyono’s presidency for fostering peace by managing regional conflicts and revitalising Indonesia’s economic growth.

Offering commentary at the launch were Prof. Hermanto Siregar, an economics professor at IPB University, and Dr Marty M. Natalegawa, who served as Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister during Yudhoyono’s second term (2009–2014). Prof. Siregar, who once taught Yudhoyono during his doctorate studies, remarked that reading the book feels like learning directly from the former president. He added that the book will be valuable to academics, politicians, prospective leaders, and students alike.

Dr Natalegawa commended the book for capturing Yudhoyono’s leadership traits: his sharp identification of Indonesia’s national interests, his whole-of-society governance approach, his ability to align leaders in his administration, and his balance as a realist-idealist – a leader who not only accepts the world as it is but also strives to make it better.

The launch was attended by several distinguished guests, including ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe, representatives from ASEAN Member States and ASEAN Dialogue Partners, as well as Indonesian government officials and former cabinet ministers.

At the event, Yudhoyono also delivered a lecture on the challenges facing Asia and how its countries can collaborate for a more peaceful and prosperous future. This lecture marked the first in the ERIA School of Government Leadership Lecture Series, which will feature former leaders from ASEAN.